Still no official word on the MFC site about Andrew Daff - our doctor.

My word is that he's walked. Not happy with one of the new appointments.

Anyone else heard anything?

Anyone know what kind of role club doctors have these days? I'd say relatively minor. I think physio's and sports science guys would handle most injuries. Anyone who does a major collision injury goes to a surgeon anyway and any soft tissue injuries are done by the doctors.

Obviously to have a gun doctor really helps on match day to patch players up - fix bleeds, put shoulders back in, provide care to the badly injured, give pain killing treatments etc but I'd say the physio and sport science/fitness guys would be a higher priority in the long run. If Daff is a top doctor I'd be sad to lose him, if he isn't then we'll survive.

Massive loss if true he has been with the club for years and years

We would miss his experience.

Was if Daff who helped Petterd with his punctured lung? Without knowing how hard that is to diagnose on the spot, I would have thought this is a loss to the MFC.

Thankfully, there are many great doctors out there.

I heard that he has left the building and the reason was tied in with the new fitness regime headed by David Misson. It's a vexed issue when you have a new broom coming in and wanting to do things their way while on the other hand you have long term loyal servants of the club with views that might be more on the conservative side. I'm not saying that's what happened here but it's the sort of thing that happens often when there's a major shake up in an organisation.

Was if Daff who helped Petterd with his punctured lung? Without knowing how hard that is to diagnose on the spot, I would have thought this is a loss to the MFC.

I thought I heard him through the ump's mike, asking Petterd, "now Ricky, what seems to be the problem?".

Daff saved Petterd's life that day and I believe he designed a lot of the protocol around treating concussion victims

and taught other clubs how to look after these concussed players.

Thankfully, there are many great doctors out there.

Just like in any profession, there are also many morons,so let's hope we get the right one.

Anyone know what kind of role club doctors have these days? I'd say relatively minor. I think physio's and sports science guys would handle most injuries. Anyone who does a major collision injury goes to a surgeon anyway and any soft tissue injuries are done by the doctors.

Obviously to have a gun doctor really helps on match day to patch players up - fix bleeds, put shoulders back in, provide care to the badly injured, give pain killing treatments etc but I'd say the physio and sport science/fitness guys would be a higher priority in the long run. If Daff is a top doctor I'd be sad to lose him, if he isn't then we'll survive.

An experienced doctor is good at knowing how to manage the timecourse of players' injuries and when they are fit to return. When they should miss games etc. Leaving that in the hands of a bloke with a Phys Ed certificate (no matter how good he is) is like having a book keeper run the national economy.

Agree that we'll survive though.

Was if Daff who helped Petterd with his punctured lung? Without knowing how hard that is to diagnose on the spot, I would have thought this is a loss to the MFC.

Thankfully, there are many great doctors out there.

Yes it was.

Sometimes hard to diagnose, particularly in the context of how the injury occurred (not typical).

Petterd's condition was very serious and could have ended very badly. Dr Daff's not the only bloke who could have diagnosed and treated it, but there are plenty around who'd have missed it.

I heard that he has left the building and the reason was tied in with the new fitness regime headed by David Misson. It's a vexed issue when you have a new broom coming in and wanting to do things their way while on the other hand you have long term loyal servants of the club with views that might be more on the conservative side. I'm not saying that's what happened here but it's the sort of thing that happens often when there's a major shake up in an organisation.

Heard same. Apparently Misson feels he knows more than a doctor. Not a rare illness amongst his like.

I proper sports doctor is far better than any physio. For example a doctor can prescribe medication...a physio can't. A sports doctor should be managing the physios. Doctors have the better education

I proper sports doctor is far better than any physio. For example a doctor can prescribe medication...a physio can't. A sports doctor should be managing the physios. Doctors have the better education

Not better. Different roles. Doctor usually has more connections with surgeons, can give medication (as you say) etc. Physio usually has very good understanding of how the athlete is functioning and has many tricks in the bag to fix less serious injuries, and to rehabilitate serious injuries after surgery.

My prob is not with physios, it's with 'fitness' personal, who have bypassed the actual training (that both doctors and physios receive) in preference to a 'how to make them fit' degree, and then decide that they actually understand the medical field and know better than the trained professionals in the area. This type of deregulation will lead to heartache.

Edit: Please note - Misson is not a Physiotherapist. He is a Physical Education person (and a very good one). My issue is not with the importance of his role, it's with his misconception of his role. He needs to stick to his job and let others do theirs.

If you read the 'Daffy' thread, (I know it's starting to sound like I love the bloke - I've never actually met him) you'll understand. Is Misson going to diagnose a tension pneumothorax? Where will he place the needle to decompress it? Th 2nd intercostal space in the clavicular midline? From the back? Through the neck? Maybe he'd stick it up his clacker.. If you relate to the uncertainty here, you're in the same knowledge bracket as Misson.

Point is, while guys like Misson should have every right to come in and have a say; they don't have the right to come in and start trying to run the medical side of things.

Edited October 11, 201113 yr by Barry Dawson

Did anyone make Daffy duck for cover? or, if he has indeed left, did he just decide he wanted to move on? Not every doc wants to hang around forever like Reid at Essendon and Zimmerman at the Bulldogs.

Maybe, just maybe, there is nothing to see here.

I'm sorry barry but you're talking nonsense. Misson is not going to be diagnosing or treating any medical condition. There will be a new doctor, and a very good one, because doctors are queuing up to get a gig as an AFL club doctor. He is no loss whatsoever, and frankly it will be good for the club to get in a young doctor with fresh ideas.

Misson would know a lot more than a doctor in terms of appropriate rehab and fitness regimes.

As the last poster said, nothing to see here...

I'm sorry barry but you're talking nonsense. Misson is not going to be diagnosing or treating any medical condition. There will be a new doctor, and a very good one, because doctors are queuing up to get a gig as an AFL club doctor. He is no loss whatsoever, and frankly it will be good for the club to get in a young doctor with fresh ideas.

Misson would know a lot more than a doctor in terms of appropriate rehab and fitness regimes.

As the last poster said, nothing to see here...

Well we will just have to disagree.

Edited October 12, 201113 yr by Demonland
inappropriate attack on another poster

oh well what can you do

I'm sorry barry but you're talking nonsense. Misson is not going to be diagnosing or treating any medical condition. There will be a new doctor, and a very good one, because doctors are queuing up to get a gig as an AFL club doctor. He is no loss whatsoever, and frankly it will be good for the club to get in a young doctor with fresh ideas.

Misson would know a lot more than a doctor in terms of appropriate rehab and fitness regimes.

As the last poster said, nothing to see here...

Your ignorance of Daff's standing amongst the club doctors is sublime

your questioning his ability of rehab is ridiculous

we have lost an experienced professional without any notification from the club

his name is no longer on the MFC staff list.

Dr Andrew Daff

MBBS(Hons)FACSP

Sports and Exercise Physician

Dr. Andrew Daff graduated with honours from Monash University Medical School in 1986. Prior to commencing work as a Sports and Exercise Physician in 1990 he completed a Diploma of Anatomy, a Certificate of Sports Medicine and an appointment teaching anatomy at Stanford University (USA).

He has a longstanding involvement in AFL football. He has been on the Melbourne Football Club medical staff since 1988, being Senior medical Co-ordinator since 1991. He was awarded Life Membership of the club in 2006. Representative honours include doctor to the Victorian State of Origin Team in 1994 and the Australian International Rules Team in 2001 in Australia and 2002 in Ireland.

Andrew is a member of the AFL Medical Officers Association, with which he has held a number of official positions including Treasurer and Vice President. He has been President since 2007.

Andrew was Deputy Director of the Athletes Village Polyclinic at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

Andrew gained his Fellowship of the Australasian College of Sports Medicine in 1994 and has been on the College examination committee since 2000. He has a diverse practice as a full time Sports and Exercise Physician seeing patients of all ages with musculoskeletal and medical issues related to domestic, recreational and sporting activities. He has a special interest in football, cricket, tennis and running injuries. He is a founding member of Epworth Sports and Exercise Medicine Group.

taken from epworth website :

http://www.sportsmed.epworth.com.au/About/Dr-Andrew-Daff.aspx

Your ignorance of Daff's standing amongst the club doctors is sublime

your questioning his ability of rehab is ridiculous

we have lost an experienced professional without any notification from the club

his name is no longer on the MFC staff list.

taken from epworth website :

http://www.sportsmed...ndrew-Daff.aspx

Sounds like just the guy we need!

Fair enough Barry. I could have put that better, apologies if I offended. Simply saying that in his role he is replaceable. He is also not hhe only doctor working at the club.

As for my ignorance, I can assure you I know plenty about Andrew Daff and his credentials.

Just not worth worrying about really.

I feel there are some misconceptions about the different roles of the different members of the medical/ physical therapy health team.

The doctor would be responsible for any non injury related health issues eg thyroid condition suffered by Troy Davis or other health matters be they physical or mental and diagnose and treat the player or organize appropriate specialist help where needed.

On match day treatment of injuries requiring treatment such as lacerations needing suturing assessment of the severity of a head injury or other injury which may require specific treatment at the time eg dislocation of a shoulder.

Administration of local anesthetic for joint/ligament problems to allow a player to play (providing further injury is not likely by doing so)

Injuries sustained

Physiotherapist would be involved on match day therapy for physical injuries and most importantly with the rehab of players after injuries sustained .most of the day to day rehab I believe would be the responsibility of the physio with liason with the medico and the physical conditioning staff

The physical conditioning staff (Misson et al)would be very active in planning the regime to maximize fitness and strength in players in pre season and tailor programs to work on specific issues in individual players.

Maintaining and optimizing physical well being of players and lessening injuries and time lost with injury would be in their area too.

Obviously there is overlap and a conducive harmonious team is critical

Fair enough Barry. I could have put that better, apologies if I offended. Simply saying that in his role he is replaceable. He is also not hhe only doctor working at the club.

As for my ignorance, I can assure you I know plenty about Andrew Daff and his credentials.

Just not worth worrying about really.

Thanks A Dent.

Sorry about the outburst, it's a topic close to heart. And I agree he's replaceable. Issue is that we shouldn't need to be replacing him on account of a person in a different role.

I believe we have a very good replacement in our ranks. Pringle is a Demonland member who has given us great insight over the years. I believe he is a sports doctor currently working for one of the inner VFL clubs. He's an MFC member and is only 31.

Andrew drained my knee a couple of times after I had complications following an arthroscopy and he certainly knows his stuff, mind you he could have caused me less pain if he put the needle in on the other side and not under the kneecap.

He has worked with Peter Larkins and Gary Zimmerman for many years.

Daff saved Petterd's life that day and I believe he designed a lot of the protocol around treating concussion victims

It was actually Kal Fried

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/petterds-lung-just-popped/story-e6frf9if-1111113924212